Open Air
by EtharahxBennica
Summary: With Anna back, everything in Storybrooke appears to be back to normal, until people start appearing in the forest, with hardly any memories of a past life. First, was the Scottish red-headed girl, next came the two boys and the blonde girl, each with their own mysteries... {My own idea for season five} featuring Merida, and other new characters.
1. INTRODUCTION

**SUMMARY: **_With Anna back, everything in Storybrooke appears to be back to normal, until people start appearing in the forest, with hardly any memories of a past life. First, was the Scottish red-headed girl, next came the two boys and the blonde girl, each with their own mysteries... {My own idea for season five} featuring Merida and other new characters.  
><em>

* * *

><p><span><strong>PROLOGUE<strong>

"Emma!" shouted Snow from behind her, "something's wrong!"

"What?" she looked at Killian. He just looked her in the eye with warning.

"What's going on?" she ran into the forest.

"A girl... she just appeared..."

Indeed, there was a girl lying in the leaves, her hair a bright, fiery orange, in curls all the way around. Her dress a blue-green.

"She... just appeared?" she frowned, "That doesn't happen..."

"You think she's... one of us?" Killian asked abruptly.

"Maybe..." Emma said.

Her eyes shot open, a bright blue. They were wide as she stared at all three of them.

"Who are you... where the hell am I?" she screeched in a Scottish accent, "Where's my baby?"

* * *

><p><span><em><strong>AN:**__** This chapter is really short, but the rest will be longer, promise! All will make sense, but... yeah... I needed an intoduction... think of this, as like, a pre-credits, or a cliffhanger... whatever...**_


	2. THE GIRL - CHAPTER ONE

**PART ONE**

_"The Girl"_

_**CHAPTER ONE**_

_DunBroch_

_Many Years Ago_

* * *

><p>The wind rushed through her curly red-hair as she rode along the forest on the back of her mighty horse, Angus. The horse stopped suddenly and '<em>neighed<em>' gruffly. The teenaged girl, barely a woman, grabbed her bow from her back and steadily looked around at her surroundings wearily. There was the faint sound of crunching leaves, and Angus took off like a rocket in the opposite direction.

"Angus!" she shouted shrilly in a high Scottish accent, "Angus!" she shouted again.

"Come back here right this instant or I'll-"

"-You'll what?" said a voice from behind her. She turned sharply to face the owner of the voice.

"And... you are?" she says, controlling her voice with the faint hint of smugness.

He smirked, "You go first."

She narrowed her eyes.

He was a boy around her own age, with an almost triangular head and brown hair.

"Whatever," he said, "I know who you are..."

"Care to enlighten me? I'm missing my horse, what are you, my night in shining armour?" she smirked, "Why don't we swap gender roles for a second, I'm the prince and you're the damsel in distress?"

He chuckled to himself.

"So, you _apparently_ know who I am. Care to tell me who you are?" she smiled with false sweetness.

"My name is Malcolm." he said unsmiling.

"Merida."

"Did I _not_ just say I know who you are?"

She narrowed her eyes at him, "Why are you here?"

"Me? I'm going to the kingdom of DunBroch."

* * *

><p><em>Our World<em>

_Present Day_

She opened her eyes in a flash and gazed around at the room.  
>"Great. You're awake!" said the woman next to her.<p>

She held a baby in her arms, and her hair was cut short. Merida looked at the baby before looking up at the woman.

"Who are you?"

"Oh! Right... well... I'm Snow White..."

"Merida," the Scottish red-head said blandly.

"How did you get here?" Snow asked lightly.

"The... uh... I was..." she screwed up her face in an attempt to remember, "I was... looking for my baby..."

"Oh... yeah, Emma said you were looking for your baby. You look bit young for that..."

"I'm twenty-three."

"Did you come here in the First Curse?" she asked.

"Curse? I... no... no curse..."

"Do you know Queen Regina, at least?"

She shook her heads, and her brilliant curls bounced, "I only know of my mother, Queen Eleanor-"

"Queen Eleanor? Of DunBroch?"

"Yes."

"But... no... that can't work."

"Why not?"

"I'm sorry... but that would make you over three-hundred years old."


	3. THE GIRL - CHAPTER TWO

**PART ONE**

_"The Girl"_

_**CHAPTER TWO**_

_DunBroch_

_Many Years Ago_

Malcolm followed Merida through the forest, much to her distaste. He couldn't help but notice the bounce of her curly red hair every step she took. They reached the outside of the border of the kingdom of DunBroch, with its stone walls built higher than he could see. Merida waltzed up to a nearby guard.

"Can I have an apple?" she asked.

"Princess, your mother is waiting for y-"

"My mum can just have a meeting with me... and my apple!"

Malcolm chuckled at the sight five feet in front of him. This short Scottish teenager attempting to reason with the seven-foot tall guard, it was something of entertainment. The guard finally gave in and gave her a ripe red apple. She bit into, but just as she went to pull her teeth away with the juicy insides, the gates opened. Merida's eyes widened, she withdrew and tossed the apple over her shoulder.

"Merida!" Queen Eleanor exclaimed at the sight of her daughter, her eyes darted to Malcolm, a broad smile stretched across her face.

"I see you've met our first suitor!"

* * *

><p><em>Storybrooke<em>

_Present Day_

"What do you mean, I'm over _three-hundred years old_?"

Mary Margaret looked at her sympathetically, "I'm sorry... but from what I know about the kingdom of DunBroch, which isn't much... Queen Eleanor and King Fergus's sons fought over who was to rule the kingdom... it fell into total horror..." she took a breath, "That was almost three-hundred years agoyears ago."


	4. THE GIRL - CHAPTER THREE

**PART ONE**

_"The Girl"_

**CHAPTER THREE**

_Our World_

_Present Day_

* * *

><p>"I know it's none of my business, but how did your baby go missing?"<p>

Merida took a great breath in, thinking thoughtfully, "Uh... I..." she stammered, "I don't remember..."

Mary Margaret sighed, "Great, all we need in this town," she shook her head, "Even more memory loss."

"You mean... this has happened _before_?"

"Not like this," she shook her head.

* * *

><p><em>DunBroch<em>

_Many Years Ago_

"_What_?" Merida shrieked at the top of her lungs, "What do you mean, mum?"

"Suitors, Merida!" her mother enforced calmly, "You will be asked to marry, and you will accept the invite promptly after one of the suitors is decided."

Merida groaned loudly and ran into her room.

"Merida, come back here this instant!" Eleanor shouted after her daughter before turning to her husband.  
>"What?" he asked, "She gets it from you, you know," he said matter-of-factly.<p>

"You're not use when it comes to her!

Merida lay in her chamber, her hair in full circle around her head.

She huffed, muttering to herself.

After all, they asked so much of her! Marry someone she's never met prior! Her mother, while being the controlling Queen, might at some point at least try to be her mother rather than her ruler. She felt... like a puppet! Her mother's strings hoisting her up and throwing her into things that she never wanted for herself.

There was a knock on the door and she didn't even need to ask to know who it was and quite frankly she didn't particularly want to engage in conversation with that particular person. In fact, she didn't really want to engage in conversation with anyone - she was angry at the boy for not warning her, angry at her mother for bringing him here, and angry at her dad, King Fergus, for not warning her several _days_ in advance.

The door opened, and Eleanor stepped into the room. Grim as she seemed, Merida couldn't believe that the Queen actually felt sorry for herm and was going to apologise. Perhaps even send Malcolm back to wherever he was from - somewhere marked on the map as 'Mist Haven'.

"Merida," her mother reprimanded , and she knew she was in for a speech about responsibility.

"Merida, you need to know, as the princess of DunBroch, you have responsibility..."

She groaned and recited, "'A princess must always look, speak, and present herself at best; a princess must allow interference from the King and all the rest' blah, blah... I know."

Eleanor huffed, "Well, as the one to be married off, I ask for you to pick an activity for the three suitors to perform, the winner being the one to ask your hand in marriage."

Merida tripped over her skirt =, and said excitedly, "Archery!"

The Queen glared at her.

"I mean..." she repositioned herself, "I chose - Archery."

* * *

><p><em>Our World<em>

_Present Day_

"You know, I know someone who may be able to help you find your son," Mary Margaret realised, sitting up.

Merida's eyes grew wide with joy.

"Really? You mean someone who might know what happened to him?"

The dark haired woman smiled.

"Absolutely! Just... be careful... he's not always helpful..."

"Okay, okay!" Merida repeated, "What's his name?"

"In this town, he goes by Mr. Gold.


	5. THE GIRL - CHAPTER FOUR

**PART ONE**

_"The Girl"_

_**Chapter Four**_

_Our World_

_Present Day_

* * *

><p>The bell trinket over the door rang as it was pushed open by Merida.<p>

"Mr. Gold?" She called into the shop.

A man came out from deeper in the shop. His hair was long, slightly grey, and his eyes were beady but bright blue.

"I've been expecting you, dearie."

Merida fell silent, losing every ounce of confidence she previously had,

The man looked at her expectantly and intently. This alone was enough to snap the red-head back to her senses.

"I assume you're Mr. Gold," she observed.

"The one and only."

"I was told you could help me."

He stepped out from behind the counter, his fingers interlocked in front of him.

"That depends. You seem if what you seek requires magic," he paused and looked down at the ground "then I'm afraid that there will be a price to pay."

"All magic comes with a price, I'm aware of that," she snapped, "Name your price."

"Depends what it is you want, dearie," he shook his head, "I may be the Dark One, but I am, unfortunately, no mind reader."

Merida took a deep breath, "I want to find my son."

Mr. Gold clenched, then unclenched his jaw, "I am afraid, that can't be arranged."

"Why not?" she asked, "I've dealt with your kind before, their powers are without limits, excepting the dagger bearing their name."

"The person that was your son is dead," he snapped, "Unless you're willing to chase after ghosts, then I am afraid I can't help you, dearie."

She frowned and took a great step towards him until she was almost face-to-face with him, "Listen here, Mr. Gold, I have been searching for my son for a very long time, and I will do what ever it takes-"

"Well, I can't help you with that."

She glared at him, before turning her back on him, and marching away.

* * *

><p><em>DunBroch<em>

_Many Years Ago_

The three other suitors arrived promptly fact, they arrived so quickly Merida couldn't remember all their names. McGuffin… Macintosh… and the other one. They were all the sons of lords, seeking to gain partnership with DunBroch, excepting, as it seemed, Malcolm the forest boy.

She approached him about it over dinner. She found it difficult to make her way to him in the dress that her mother forced her to wear.

"Why exactly are you here?" she asked him.

He, himself, donned simple pants, and a basic shirt with the generic plaid, Scottish sash.

"The same for everyone else, to meet the princess of DunBroch," he said. This was the first time Merida noticed that he had a different accent to the rest of the suitors. While the rest of the suitors had the same accent as her, Malcolm had a subtle English accent.

"I wasn't aware she's be so snappy," he finished.

She wasn't taking it, she scowled at him.

"The other three, they have their dad's here. What about you?"

"My Papa?" Malcolm asked, feigning calmness, "He's… well… let's just say we don't get on well…"

"I have problems with my mother. Once upon a time, she was actually my mother. Now she's my queen."

The cutting voice of Queen Eleanor sounded through the crowd, telling everyone to get to their seats. McGuffin and Macintosh almost sat on top of each other. The third suitor and his father sat much farther than everyone else.

Malcolm was nowhere to be seen.

Eleanor called out to the room.

"Welcome to DunBroch!"

There were cheers coming from the three families, before it finally died down.

"We are gathered here today to welcome the suitors to my daughter, Princess Merida of DunBroch. I am pleased to welcome Lord McGuffin, and his son son; Lord Macintosh, likewise; Lord Mor'du, and his son. The final family, all the way from Mist Haven is the-"

Silence fell over the room as the lights went out around them. The third man stepped forward, with his face alit with blue flames.

"There is no point in these other suitors - my son is worthy!" he cried, "My son has the might of a bear, and fights for what he believes is right! Stronger than a hundred men! I shall see to that your daughter sees my son as worthy!"

The flames sparked around, forming shapes he described.

Merida backed out of sight, and walked right into-

"Hey!" yelped the voice.

"Malcolm?" she asked the darkness, "What are you doing back here?"

* * *

><p><em>Our World<em>

_Present Day_

Merida walked the streets of Storybrooke. It was an odd place, she concluded. She had borrowed clothes from Snow so she could pay a visit to Mr. Gold… but after that failed attempt she wasn't sure what to do. She walked down the footpath, just about ready to completely give up, when a familiar face peered out from around the corner.

The owner of that familiar face grasped the back of Merida's shirt, and pulled her into the alleyway.

He smirked at her, "I was wondering when you were going to show up."


	6. THE GIRL - CHAPTER FIVE

**PART ONE**

_"The Girl"_

_**Chapter Five**_

_DunBroch_

_Many Years Ago_

* * *

><p>There was a roar from the courtroom, and the two of them peered around the corner. Shapes of a glowing blue bear filled the air over the King and Queen's heads before it dissipated.<p>

Mor'du and his son were gone.

* * *

><p><em>Our World<em>

_Present Day_

"Malcolm," Merida questioned.

"Merida."

"But…"

"Ssshh," he said, "You mustn't tell anyone of my existence here, I'm supposed to be dead."

He stepped closer to her and held her wrist.

"You monster!" she shouted in his face, when she finally remembered.

He just chuckled, "A monster, am I? Sorry, but I'm not the one seeking help from the Dark One-"

"Only because you gave away my son."

"Oh?" he raised his right eyebrow, "He's your son especially now, is he?"

She stared unblinkingly at him, trying to find the words.

"That's what I thought," he smirked, walking around the alley.

"When they find out you're alive, they will try and kill you," he smiled.

"But they're not," he said, "because, it was the Dark One that vanquished me in the first place, sacrificing himself in the progress. He died, but that cursed son of his brought him back, destroying himself. There is no way for me to be brought back."

"Your son could have brought you back too," she said, "Don't they know about him?"

"Oh, they know about him, alright," he grinned, "But there's one thing I know, he would never, ever, bring me back."

* * *

><p><em>DunBroch<em>

_Many Years Ago_

"I'm leaving," Merida shoved her clothes into a bag.

"No, you're not," Eleanor said.

"Yes, I am."

"No, you're not."

Merida stopped and turned to her mother, "I'm the reason they came. They pretty much threatened everyone, plus… I don't want to be married."

She threw her bag over her shoulder and left.


	7. A WOLF OF A WOMAN - CHAPTER ONE

**PART TWO **

_"A Wolf of a Woman"_

_**Chapter One**_

_The Enchanted Forest_

_Three-Hundred-and-Twenty Years Ago_

* * *

><p>The wolves were closing in on her. Her boots bashing across the dry leaves and her jacket waving in the wind. The wolves bared their teeth, seethingly growling at her. She aimed her arrow at them.<p>

"I don't want to pick a fight!" she shouted, "I'm just searching for my husband and son!"

A woman materialised from behind a tree, dressed in a large fur dress, a long purple cape. Her spear was dangling at her side from her belt.

"Whom are you?" the woman said with such strength.

"I am Merida, who the hell are you?" she aimed for the woman's heart.

"I, am Lupa," she said, "These are my wolves."

Merida lowered her bow, but kept it ready by her side.

"Would you mind calling them off from attacking me?" she asked, "I'm not fond of having wolves with the possible threat of the coming at my throat."

Lupa raised her chin, "Release!"

She waved her arm over her pack of wolves and they backed down unsurely and slowly.

"What is your son's name?" Lupa asked Merida.

She took a great breath in and narrowed her eyes at Lupa.

"Rumplestilskin."

* * *

><p><em>Our World<em>

_Present Day_

Mary Margaret and Merida sat in Granny's Diner.

"So, how did it go?" she asked Merida, "Did you find out what happened to your son?"

"He was useless," her eyes darkened, "Not only do I not have a place to stay, but I can't get back to DunBroch, my husband's missing and Mr. Gold told me that my son is dead."

"Well…" Mary Margaret said slowly, "You could always stay with u-"

"Yes, because everyone wants a newborn, Prince Charming, Snow White and the sheriff of the town for roommates."

"It might be a little crowded, but-"

"I couldn't help overhearing," Ruby perked when she gave Mary Margaret her coffee, "But there's a spare room here - it's filled with a bunch of clutter, but it's the only room we've got, if you need it."

"You do?" Merida asked, then muttered, "Well that's awfully convenient."

Ruby laughed.

"Just let me tell Granny, then I'll show you to your room," she smiled, "What did you say your name was?"

"Merida."

She froze momentarily, then returned back to normal and smiled weakly, "Nice name."

Ruby left, and Snow turned to Merida, "Well, that was nice."

"She knows me," she said bluntly.

"What?"

"How, I'm not sure, but she does."

"How do you know that for sure?" Snow asked.

"Body language."

Ruby came back, "Now to see your room."

* * *

><p><em>The Enchanted Forest<em>

_Three-Hundred-and-Twenty Years Ago_

"Rumplestilskin?" Lupa asked.

"You've heard of him?"

"No…just…" she recomposed herself, and raised her head, "Of course not."

Merida raised her own knife from her belt and put it against Lupa's throat.

"Mark my words, Wolf lady, if you know anything of my son, you better tell me real quick-"

"I don't know anything!" she shrieked. Merida edged her knife closer.

"You didn't say that with enough confidence for that to be true, I swear, tell me, or god help you."

Lupa closed her eyes and gulped.

"Fine, I'll tell you."

Merida lowered her knife.

"There was a man, Malcolm. He and his son sought to start over again. Only, no one trusted Malcolm. His clothes were ragged, and he stunk of liquor."

"That can't be true, Malcolm was never much of a drinker," she raised her knife again.

"Well, now, he is," she said strongly, "He took off after a few days, presumably to another town."

"Do you know what town?" she said forcefully.

"No."

* * *

><p><em>Our World<em>

_Present Day_

Ruby lead Merida to her room. The door was marked as number twenty-four. She pushed it open to reveal a small space, with a bunk bed. There were chairs stacked in the right corner, and a corner window on the opposite, with curtains that had blue and green flowers. A television set on the drawers, with little porcelain painted eggs. Above the bunk bed was a painting of a grey and white wolf.

Merida looked around the room, her gaze lingering on the eggs for a moment.

"What is it?" Ruby asked.

"… Nothing," she lied, "It's just… the person who decorated this room… they have…"

"-interesting taste, I know."

Merida frowned, "How did this get here?"

Ruby shrugged, "I don't know, it's only been here since Pan cast his curse-"

"But, Snow told me, Regina broke all curses, how is that possible? How is this still here?"

"What does it matter? It's just a painted egg."

Merida searched through the room.

"What are you doing?"

Merida moved the mattress, pulled pillows, opened drawers.

"Nothing," she shouted angrily, "This makes no sense, why would he just leave these here?"

"Who?"

"I need to talk to Emma Swan."

* * *

><p><em>The Enchanted Forest<em>

_Three-Hundred-and-Twenty Years Ago_

"Control over wolves," Merida asked, "That's a superpower to have."

"I do not have control over them," she said, "That would be… indecent… unfair on them. No…"

"Then what is it you do?"

"I used to be just like them, a wolf."

"You, were a wolf?" Merida laughed, "So the literal animal-human is an elegant queen, noted."

"-Anyway… I was once a wolf like them, but then the Dark One thought that I would be the good price to pay for Remus and Romulus getting past him."

"-Yes, because being human is such a problem."

"It took a while for my wolves to completely and utterly trust me again."

"-and… Koso did this to you?"

"Yes! You know him?"

"We crossed paths once. I can tell you it wasn't a happy meeting."

"What happened?" Lupa asked her.

"Doesn't matter," Merida shook it off, "But, if you promise to help me, I will get you back to your original form."

"How can I know that you will hold your end of the bargain?"

"Because you'll just have to trust me. And with your incentive, I don't think you have a choice."


	8. A WOLF OF A WOMAN - CHAPTER TWO

**PART TWO**

_"A Wolf of a Woman"_

_**Chapter Two**_

_Our World_

_Present Day_

* * *

><p>"Emma!" Snow called, "Emma!"<p>

"Yeah, what?" she came down the stairs.

"There's someone that I would like you to meet."

Mary Margaret moved out of the way to allow Emma to see Merida.

"Yeah? What is it?" Emma asked.

Merida stepped forward, and sighed.

"I spoke with Mal-" she stopped, "I spoke with… and old friend."

"An old friend? And who would that be?"

"He used to go by Malcolm, but now he goes by another name…"

"And what is that?" Emma asked.

"I… can't remember," she told her, "He's blocking out my memory, he doesn't want you to find out that he's still alive."

"Well, that's useful…" Emma muttered.

"He did mention something," she said, "He told me that the last person who vanquished him was the Dark One, Mr. Gold"

"Pan…"

"Peter Pan?" Snow exclaimed, "Someone needs to tell Regina! We need to keep Henry safe!"

"I don't think he's after this Henry boy, I think he's got his sights set on something else…"

"Really?" Emma asked, "And what would that be?"

"Me. He wants me to believe in him."

The Enchanted Forest

Three-Hundred-and-Twenty Years Ago

"I think I know where Malcolm and Rumple might be," Merida realised.

"Where?" Lupa asked, "They disappeared without a trace, how could you possibly know where they are?"

She took a breath, "Malcolm told me about a place. His father sold him to a blacksmith, and… he hated it. He told himself to think lovely thoughts…"

"-Neverland."

"You've heard of it?" Merida asked Lupa.

"Who hasn't heard of it?" she reasoned, "Remus and Romulus, when they were in my care, they told me of this dream-place that they went to in their sleep, Neverland. I forbade them to go there again, because some boys… you lose them there. They can't let the place go…"

"Malcolm was like that," she told Lupa, "He would talk about the place all the time, never letting it go."

"So… he could be there?"

"With Rumple, too."

"How do we get there, then?" Lupa asked.

Merida paced around space.

"Neverland is built around belief… so we just have to believe that it exists!" she jumped for joy.

"I don't have to believe, because I already know."

Merida closed her eyes and whispered, "I believe."

* * *

><p><em>Our World<em>

_Present Day_

Merida stormed into her new room at Granny's with such force that it startled Ruby.

"What are you doing?" Ruby screeched.

"Packing."

"But you just got here."

"Yeah, well, now the town is in danger."

She shoved her clothes into her bag just as she had the day she first met Malcolm, rummaging through the shelves for the things she placed here. Her hand brushed across something leathery. She pulled the leathery thing from the pigeon-hole and opened it.

A leather wallet.

"Snow!" she shouted, "I found something!"

She came rushing in, with Emma, "What is it?"

"This." she held out the wallet, and handed it to Emma.

Emma flicked to the license in it, and shock fell across her face.

She read it out.

"Peter Piper…"

"The name he takes in this world, Peter Piper," Merida explained.

"Peter Piper? Really?" Emma exclaimed, "He didn't exactly think about that name did he?"

"Okay, we need Gold, there's no denying it now."

Merida studied the license, "Why would he leave this here if he didn't want people coming after him?"

"I dunno?"

"Exactly, look at this," she pointed out, "This license, it's from Maine… in particular, Storybrooke, Maine-"

"How? I'm the Mayor, I have to officiate all those licenses, sign birth certificates, how did I miss that?" Snow asked.

"Not just that, but… it states here that he lives in Los Angeles, CA."

"What?" Snow looked at the license, "But…"

"He wants either all of us to stay here, or for all of us to travel to this… Los Angeles."

"Then we split," Emma stated, "me, Regina, Mary Margaret and Merida, with David, Hook, Belle and Gol-"

"No," Merida said forcefully, "I'm bringing Gold along with me, I can't trust him."

"Fine, then…" Emma looked at her weirdly, "Gold with you, me in the other group."

Merida thought about it, "No, I don't want Gold with us."

"Then the groups are uneven, we need two even groups to fight against Pan."

Merida bit her lip, thinking.

"I know someone, who helped me find him before," she said, "She might be here."

"Well, what's her name?" Emma asked, " I might know her."

"Lupa."

"I know her," Snow said, "In this town, she goes by Velvela. She runs the pet shop."

* * *

><p><em><strong>WOAH, Four chapters in one day! I'm trying to take the original Brave story, and give it a OUaT twist. The Brave story will be extended upon, but for the moment, this 'episode' sort of thing is about Merida trying to find her son, stumbling across Lupa. Whom, also has a twist about her <strong>_**_story._**


End file.
